plass



(No Model.)

3 S S, A L D. H R

APPARATUS TGN LIGHTING AND HEATING RAILWAY GARS, GG. No. 353,499.

Patented Nov W TJV'ESS S nay,

on. D. C.

u. Firms. Ppmmim 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

R. H. PLASS.

APPARATUS POR' LIGHTING AND HEATING RAILWAY GARS, &c. No. 358,499.

Patented Nov. 30, 1886.

INVENTOR. Y .R jflla) /7 fv Attorney;

l Ill ll uw SSES 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

R. H. PLASS.

APPARATUS POR LIGHTING AND HEATING RAILWAY GARS No. 353,499.

,&c.

Patented Nov Spanje N. PEHZRSy Phuwulnogmplmr. whingmn. D. c.

UNITE STATES PATENT trice. l

REUBEN HOPKINS PLASS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR LlGHil'lNG AND H EATING RAILWAY-CARS, 84.0.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 353,499, dated November 30, 1886.

Application led July 22, 1884. Serial No. 138.476.

To aZZ whom it may concern,.-

Beit known that l, RnUBnN HOPKINS PLass, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Lighting and Heating Railway-Cars, Ste., of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention has relation to apparatus for lighting and heating railway-cars, street-cars, steamboats, &c., designed to generate on the car or vessel the gas for lighting and heating the same, and to so regulate the apparatus that should a car be derailed or overturned by accident the gas will be automatically cut off at the generator, and the danger of a coniiagratiou will be thus avoided.

It has for its objects to provide apparatus of the class referred to that shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, cheapness, safety, convenience, durability, and general etliciency; and the invention consists in the construction and novel arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a railway-car provided with my improved gas lighting and heating apparatus. Fig. 2 is a partial plan View of a car and the apparatus. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail sectional View ofthe mechanism composing the apparatus,grouped together for convenience of illustration. Fig. 4 is a detail plan'view of the density-regulating cock and gage. Fig. 5 is a detail view of one of the generators arranged for being charged with the gasoline. Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of one of the generators, with the horizontal partition partly broken away to show the arrangement of the dues; and Fig. 7 is a detail View of the regulator for maintaining a uniform pressure of air. Fig. 8 is a vertical section of density-regulator and mixing-chamber, and Fig. 9 is a detail view of the register.

The object of my invention is to produce an apparatus that will obviate the possibility of the burning of the train in case of such accidents as a collision or the upsetting of the cars from any cause, and I will now proceed to describe the apparatus by which I eiiect this result.

Referring by letter to the accompanying (No model.)

ner of the car, in which I locate the springi motor C, which consists of a nest, six (more or less) in number, of coiled springs, each incased ina separate sleeve, D, but all connected to the same vertical shaft E, having a bevel gearwheel, F, secured to its upper end. This gearwheel F meshes with a small bevel gear-wheel, G, on a horizontal shaft, H, having bearings H near the upper ends of the uprights I of the motor-frame. Nea-r the end of the shaft H, opposite the bevel-gear G, I provide a small pinion, J, which engages a spur gearwheel, K, on a longer horizontal shaft, L, having bearings L in the upper ends of the uprights I of the motor-frame. On one face the spur geanwheel K is provided with a halfclutch, IWI, with which a sliding half-clutch, N, on the shaft L engages to hold the springs at the points to which they have been wound. The half-clutch N is held to place by a spiral spring, N', which bears against it and against a collar, N2, on the shaft L.

One end of the shaft L is provided with a crank, O, by which the coiled springs in the sleeves D are wound. The other end of said shaft L is provided with a bevel gear-wheel,

O', which engages a bevel gear-wheel, O2, on f the upper end of the vertical crank-shaft P, within the air pump or blower Q. rlhis airpump has three or more diaphragms, Q. I have shown but three; but it is obvious that ve may be used. The three diaphragms Q are connected to a collar on the crank Q2 of the crank-shaft P by three arms, Q3, and when the crank-shaft is rotated operate as a bellows to draw the air into the pump and to force it out through the air-pipe R. Above the bellows in the pumpis a partition, R', provided with valve-seats R2,which are controlled by valves R3, secured to the ends of arms R, connected to an eccentric, R5, on a reduced portion of the crank-shaft F, and when the latter is rotated it opens and closes the valves at the proper times.

IOO

The air as it passes thr'ough the pump is l measured by registering mechanism located in the inlet-chamber Q4 of the air-pump Q. The meter S consists of a horizontallyfarranged frame within the chamber Q4, provided with. eight wheels, each having the units to 9 arrangedin acircle on its face or upon its periphery,and geared togetherin their common frame, so that but one figure of each series of units will be displayed at thesame time th rough the view-plate in the pump-case. The units-diskofthe series of Vwheels makes ten revolutions and turns the tens-disk one point,or from O to 1. Ien more revolutions turns the tens-disk one more revolution, or to 2. When the tensdisk has been turned ten revolutions, thehunf of the shaft L by a cam, S3, on said shaft L,

which strikes a weighted lever, S4, fulcrumed above said shaftL inthe chamber Q4 and provided with a pivoted pawl, S5, which engages a ratchet-wheel on the ten-toothed Wheel S2, vand turns it onetooth every time the weighted end of thelever drops after having been raised. In this manner the air is measured before it has been carbureted, and the meter is kept clean and will operate more accurately than if gas were measured.

l I provide the air-pipe R with apressureregulator or air-governor, T, which is prefer-` and with a longer taper than the valve in the patent referred to, in order that it may have a slower action. rIhe pressure-regulator is herein illustrated in vertical section, Fig. 7.

As the pressure of the air on the diaphragm of the regulator increases, the valve T is raised and the opening through which the air must pass is contracted,so that the air is condensed and the volume permitted to pass through the 4regulator is reduced, insuring a uniform Eiupply to the generator, however the pressure may vary. When the power of the motor becomes weakened bythe uncoiling ofthe springs, the valve will descendand the opening in the regulator becomes enlarged, and the same volume of air is permitted to pass through the regulator under a smaller pressure.

Itis obvious that the pressure-regulator may be arranged in connection with the gas-pipe of the apparatus to regulate the supply of gas to the burners, as in said Letters Patent referred to, and I may use it in that connection herein, if desired.

From the pressure-regulator,as herein arranged, the air passes down through the a-irpipe U and into the lower section of the generator U', through which it passes tortuously to its opposite end through the saturated ab- 7o erator U at theopposite end from that `at which it entered, and thence tortuously through the upper section of said generator U', through saturated absorbent material in the iiues of said upper section,andout into thegas-pipeV.

I use two generators, or what I term a 8o team-generator.7 These generators are made of copper, preferably, and are of like construction. I locate i them, preferably, under the body of a railway-car, as shown; but it is obvious that the location ofthe generators, as ,85 well as the other parts of the apparatus, may

be varied to suit the structure, either movable or stationary, in which it is to be usedto suit the exigencies of the case, without departing from the character of the invention; and Ido 9o vary the location of the parts of the apparatus to `suit the character of the structure in which I employ the apparatus.

The generators U and W are made preferably rectangular in form, and are provided with central horizontal partitions and vertical partitions, as shown, to form lues cr tortuous passages, in which sponge or other suitable absorbent material is placed and is saturatedl with gasoline, in a manner hereinafter ex` roo plained. Each generator is provided in its bottom with an opening, V, through which the generator is to be illed, and after the gen- 'A erators have been filled and the absorbent material has been properly saturated and the surplus gasoline run off said openings are closed by screw-plugs V2. At the time of filling the generators with the gasoline a glass lube,V3, which is used as an indicator to denote when the generator is full, is inserted in an opening, V4, in the top of each generator. The generators are iilled through the4 openings in their bottoms by means of a siphon, V5, having a plug, V, in its lowerrends. VVhen the glass' tube indicates that the generator is full, the flow of gasolinethrough the siphon is stopped, and as soon as the absorbent material has become charged or thoroughly saturated the ,plug V5 in the lower end of the siphon is withvidel a coil of pipe, fw, 'for the passage of hot water or steam, said-pipe being placed in connection with the heating apparatus, describedVV farther on. Ihe walls and .doors of ott the gas from the generatorU.

the case w are made double, and the space in said double walls and doors is packed with felt station and replaced; or the exhausted one may be removed and lel`t at the station to be recharged, and another already charged may be put in its place in the case and connected to the other one and to the pipes.

The generators are provided with the male sections of the couplings, by which they are placed in connection with the air-pipe and gaspipe, and these latter pipes carry the sleeves by which the coupling is effected.

The two generators are connected in the following manner: The air-pipe U extends down through the bottom of the car, and extends through the case w over both generators U and XV, and projects out of the casing at both ends, as shown. This air-pipe U is jointed at the bends and enters the lower section of the generator U at one end thereof. A branch pipe, X, leads from the main pipe U and enters the lower section of the generator W at the opposite end of the case to where the pipe U enters. The air-pipe U is provided with a stop-cock. which when closed prevents the ail-from enteringthegeneratorU'. lThebranch pipe a: is provided with a stop-cock, x2, which when open permits the air to enter the generator W. By closing the stop-cock x2 when the generator W' has become exhausted and opening the stop-cock as the air will enter the generator U', and that generator will carburet the air. The gas-pipe V leaves the generator U from its upper section above the air-pipe U, and a branch gas-pipe, Y, leaves the generator WV from its upper section and connects with the main gas-pipe V. The gas-pipeVis provided with a stop-cock, Y, by which to cut The branch pipe Y is provided with a stop-cock, Y2, by which to cut ot't' the gas from the generator W', so that by the arrangement of pipes and stopcocks I am enabled to use the generators separately. The main gas-pipe V is further provided with a weighted stop-cock, which always remains open while the car maintains its position on the track, but will be closed automatically by the weight Z2, which swings in either direction to close it when the car is overturned, thereby cutting off the gas and avoiding any damage to the car or property or danger to the lives of persons from tire.

The air, after passing through either of the generators, becomes carbureted or charged with the vapors of the gasoline that have been drawn up or held by the capillaryl attraction of the sponge or other absorbent material to its greatest capacity, and is converted into a hydrocarbon gas ot' from twenty-tive to thirty candle-power. The gas in this state is too rich to burn economically at all seasons of the year, and is returned to the air-pu mp compartment B at the end of the car, where it is passed through a densityregulator, where it is irnpoverished and its quality reduced to fifteen or twenty candle-power by an admiXture ot' air fro m the air pipe, and thence p assed th rough 4 the commingling or mixing chamber to the burners.

rlhe density-regulator A consists of a sleevejoint, A, connected to the gas-pipe and tothe ai r-pipe, and provided with a conical or tapering valve, To the lower end of thesleeve A2 is secured a quadrant-plate, A, which is provided with a scale, B2. The valve or cock A3 is provided on its lower end, which isl rcduced to form a journal and projects through an opening in the quadrant-plate, with a lever, B3, which is curved upward, as shown, and provided with an indicator-finger, B, which rests on the scale of the quadrant-plate and indicates the sizeofthe passage in the densityregulator. B y moving the lever to the desired point on the indicator (and with or without closing a stop-cock at Cl in the air-pipe U, to prevent the air from passing to the generator,) the gas and air may belet into the densityregulator in the proportions necessary to produce the desired candle-power-z. e., half gas and halt' air, orthree-fourths gas to one- :t'ourth air, or in any other desired proportions. From the density-regulator the gas and air pass into the commingling or mixing chamber C, which is iilled with excelsior or other suitable material that will cause the gas and air to thoroughly conimingle, and it passes thence tothe burners DZ in the gas-pipe D3, running beneath the roof or monitor section ofthe car. rIhe gas-pipes D:i of cach car have tlexilole tubing at each end, provided with hose-couplings to enable two or more cars to be connected together, so that one car may be supplied with gas from another car. Thegaspij' es D3 are provided with stop-cocks D* near each end, to cut oft' the supply ol gas'from an adjacent car when desired.

At the opposite end ot' thecar from the oompartment B, and preferably on the same side ofthe car, I locate that.portion of the apparatus which is employed in heating t-hc car. It consists of an upright boiler, E2, which is connected with the hot-water or steam pipes E3 in the ordinary manner. This boiler is provided with thc usual steam and watergages, and has ahot-airandsmokciiue or flues passing up vertically through the center ofthe boiler and extending through the root of the car, and provided on its top with a hood. In the combustion-chamber Et, below the boiler, I provide a burner, F2, which operates on the principle of the Bunsen burner, in which the gas is con,- sumed,without giving out any light, by'admitting air to the gas through an opening, F3, in the gas-pipe Ft, immediately below the horizontal burner-pipe G3. The gas-pipe F4 is connected with the gas-pipe D3 by a vertical gaspipeG, provided near its lower end with an automatic gage-cock, G5. This gage-cock G5 is'operated by a rod, H3, which is controlled by a steam-governor, H, on the top of the boiler E2. said steam-governor being shown in vertical section in Fig. 3. f

The steam-governor H4 is provided with a diaphragm, H5, which has a rod, Hs, extend- .ing therefrom up through the top voi' the governor, and theA upper end of said rod H6 is pivoted to a weighted lever, I", fulcrumed at one end to an arm, 13, on said steam-governor,

and at the other end said lever I? is pivoted to the upper end of the vertical rod H3, so that the pressure ofthe steam in the steam-governor Hwill automatically open and partially close the gage-cock G5, to regulate the supply of the gas to the burner G3, and thus t-he heat will be maintained at a unil'orm temperature. The gas may be cutoft` entirely from the burner G3 by closing thestop-cock Itin the gas-pipe D3.

For convenience and to ecouomize space I prefer to locate the spring-motor, air-pump, pressure-regulator,densityregnlator,and mixing or commingling chamber in ,the compartment B. Itis obvious, however, that on horsecars, vessels, or other movable structures,and in houses the location and arrangements of the parts of the apparatus will need to be varied.` These variations may be made without departing from the character of the invention.

The cost of the gas is as follows: Three and a half gallons of gasoline at from lifteen to twenty cents per gallon will carburetone thousand-cubic feet ot' air, giving it from twenty-1 pipe in the' case w is connected in the circuit of the hot-water or steam pipes in any wellknown manner.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. The means herein described for lighting and heating, comprising a carburetor with suitable pipesleading thereto and therefrom,

.an air or gas forcing or exhausting apparatus connected with said carburetor, the heating apparatus and burners for lighting and also for supplying a gas-fuel or fuel-gas to the heating apparatus connected with pipes leading from the carburetor to supply said burners, and valves in said pipes, all substantially as and operatedas set forth.,

2. The means herein described for lighting and heating, comprising thespring-motor, the diaphragm air-pump provided with a meter in i. its inlet-opening, the pressure-regulator, and the generator connected to each other and to the air andgas pipes, substantiallyas specitied.

3. The combination, with the nest springmotor consisting of springs coiled in separate slteves and connected to common shafts to operate independently and in unison, of a spring-actuated clutch to retain power on the motor. in `winding up the springs, the diaphragm air-pump provided with a registering index or meter in its inlet-chamber, the pressure-regulator, and the generators connected to each other and to the air and gas pipes, substantially as described.

4. The means herein described .for lighting and heating, comprising a spring-actuated motor, the diaphragm air-pump, and the generators'provided with air and gas pipes having cocks, whereby one or both may be used, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the spring-motor, the diaphragm air-pump, the pressure-regulator, the generators connected to the air and gas pipes, and the commingling-chamber, substan- 8. The combination, with the car-body, of` the casing providedwith non-conducting packi ing, a coil of pipe in said casing connected with t-he heating-pipes ofthe car, and the gen- IOO erators or carburetors located in the casing and having the air and gas pipes,and the coupling-pipes, substantially as described.

9. The combination, in an apparatusfor heating and lighting railway-cars, of the `springmotor, the diaphragm air-pump the interchangeable generators, air-pipes, leading to the generators, the heating apparatus, and pipe and gas-pipes leading from the generators to the heating apparatus, substantially as de` scribed.

10. The combination, in an apparatus for heat- A ing and lighting railway-cars, of the springmotor, the diaphragm air-pump, the generator situated in a casing provided With non-conducting packing, the heating apparatus, gaspipe leading from the generator' to the heating apparatus, and a pipe leading from the whereby the supply of gas is automatically out heating apparatus and coiled Within the easing off when the oar is overturned.

of the generator, substantially as described. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as 11. The combination7 in an apparatus for my ow'n I-have hereto affixed my signature in 5 heating and lighting railway-cars,ofthe springpresence of two Witnesses.

motor, the diaphragm airump the enerator air-pipes connecting ghe air pum?) and REUBEN HOPKINS PLASS" generator, the heating apparatus,and gas-pipes Witnesses:

for conducting the gas to the car and heating STEPHEN E. TEMPLE,

1o apparatus, and provided with a safety-cock J. S. A. WITTKE. 

